Yolo County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Clarksburg Agricultural District overlay zone
- Requirement
- Lighting shielded, directed away from homes
- Same subsection
- Events limited to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Governing section
- Sec. 8-2.401(d)(4)
- Enforcement
- County abatement under Sec. 1-5.04
Summary
Agricultural tourism and special event venues in the Clarksburg Agricultural District overlay zone can't point exterior lights at the neighbors. Sec. 8-2.401(d)(4) requires all exterior lighting on these Clarksburg farm-based facilities to be shielded and directed so it doesn't directly shine into adjoining residences, one of five standard operating conditions attached to Clarksburg tourist and event permits.
(4) Exterior lighting shall be shielded and directed in such a manner as to not directly shine into adjoining residences.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 401. Subsection (d), titled Other Conditions, attaches five standard operating requirements to uses permitted under that table, and lighting is one of them: exterior lighting must be shielded and directed so it does not shine directly into adjoining residences. , requires farm stays and bed and breakfast inns to meet CCDEH and CURFFL food-safety guidelines, requires pools and spas used by guests to meet Building and Health and Safety Code standards, and allows portable toilets in place of permanent systems with Environmental Health Director approval.
401 assigns to the specific use, from a stand-alone wine tasting room to a large special event facility with more than eighteen events a year.
Violations & Fines
Pointing exterior lighting at a neighboring residence from a Clarksburg agricultural district venue violates Sec. 8-2.401(d)(4) and the operating conditions of the underlying Site Plan Review or Use Permit. Sec. 1-5.04 treats the violation as a public nuisance subject to county abatement, and the county's Enforcement Official can issue a courtesy notice or administrative citation, with the permit itself subject to conditions, suspension, or revocation for repeated noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yolo County have a general outdoor lighting ordinance?
What other conditions come with the Clarksburg lighting rule?
Who enforces the Clarksburg lighting shielding requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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